Electrical Control Or Sensing Means Patents (Class 416/30)
  • Patent number: 12077279
    Abstract: There is provided a method and a system for detecting and mitigating a propeller failure condition. An actual value of a rotational speed of the propeller and/or of a pitch angle of blades of the propeller is obtained. In response to determining that the speed is below a reference rotational speed for the propeller and/or determining that the pitch angle is above a pitch angle threshold, an actuator operatively connected to the blades is commanded to decrease the pitch angle to increase the speed towards the reference speed. After commanding of the actuator to decrease the pitch angle, a subsequent value of the speed and/or a subsequent value of the pitch angle is obtained. The actuator is commanded to hold the pitch angle in response to determining that the speed has failed to increase towards the reference speed and/or determining that the pitch angle has failed to decrease.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 27, 2021
    Date of Patent: September 3, 2024
    Assignee: PRATT & WHITNEY CANADA CORP.
    Inventor: Jagoda Krzywon
  • Patent number: 11680500
    Abstract: A removable oil filter system includes an oil filter mount, an oil filter element removably connected to the oil filter mount, an impending-bypass indicator connected to the oil filter mount and in fluid communication with an oil in the oil filter system, and a full-bypass indicator in fluid communication with the oil filter mount. The impending-bypass indicator is capable of reporting an impending-bypass condition of the oil filter system. The full-bypass indicator is capable of reporting a full-bypass condition of the oil filter system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2021
    Date of Patent: June 20, 2023
    Assignee: TEXTRON INNOVATIONS INC.
    Inventor: Scott David Poster
  • Patent number: 11486318
    Abstract: To control an engine shutdown in an aircraft, a control system includes a fuel supply shut-off member, a control member with a set of switches, a first switch on an electrical power supply link of the fuel supply shut-off member and second switches connected to avionics of the aircraft, the set of switches switching position on an engine shutdown command. An engine shutdown confirmation unit includes a third switch on the electrical power supply link, the third switch in open position by default. The engine shutdown confirmation unit includes electronic circuitry configured to switch the third switch over to closed position when a predefined quantity Q of switches of the control member switches position within a sliding window of predefined duration and, otherwise, keeps the third switch in open position. Thus, it is ensured that the engine shutdown is intentional.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2021
    Date of Patent: November 1, 2022
    Assignee: Airbus Operations (S.A.S.)
    Inventors: Patrick Zaccaria, David Boyer
  • Patent number: 11345469
    Abstract: An aerial vehicle that uses motor pulsed-induced cyclic control is provided. In example embodiments, the aerial vehicle comprises a fuselage incorporating a battery system and a payload bay for operatively receiving and holding a payload and at least one mono-blade rotor coupled to an electric motor and an electric motor control system. The electric motor control system controls the electric motor using pulse-induced cyclic control. The aerial vehicle further includes at least one wing, at least one cruise propeller, and an avionics system. The avionic system is configured to transition the aerial vehicle between a vertical take-off and landing mode in which the at least one mono-blade rotor is primarily engaged to propel the aerial vehicle vertically and a cruising mode in which the at least one cruise propeller is primarily engaged to propel the aerial vehicle horizontally.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2022
    Assignee: Joby Aero, Inc.
    Inventors: Robert Alan McDonald, Mark Moore, Ian Andreas Villa
  • Patent number: 10773816
    Abstract: Embodiments of a single lever turboprop control method and system are provided, which utilize torque-based and/or power-based scheduling to achieve a desired (e.g., substantially proportional) relationship between control lever position and the power output of a turboprop engine. In one embodiment, the method includes the step or process of monitoring, at an Engine Control Unit (ECU), for receipt of a Power Lever Angle (PLA) signal from a single lever control device. When a PLA control signal received at the ECU, a target torque or power output is established as a function of at least the PLA control signal. A first engine setpoint, such as a blade angle setpoint or an engine rotational speed setpoint, is determined utilizing the target torque output. An operational parameter of the turboprop engine is then adjusted in accordance with the first engine setpoint.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 20, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 15, 2020
    Assignee: HONEYWELL INTERNATIONAL INC.
    Inventors: Dave Looper, Scot Coffey, Yufei Xiong
  • Patent number: 10377473
    Abstract: According to one embodiment, a clutch may be coupled between a rotor system and a power train of a rotorcraft. The clutch may be operable to disengage the rotor system from the power train during operation of the power train. A clutch control system in communication with the clutch and include a rotorcraft condition sensor operable to sense an operating condition of the rotorcraft and a control unit operable to prevent the clutch from disengaging the rotor system from the power train if the operating condition of the rotorcraft fails to satisfy a predetermined criterion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 4, 2013
    Date of Patent: August 13, 2019
    Assignee: Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.
    Inventors: Ryan T. Ehinger, David Sembritzky, Carlos A. Fenny, Gary A. Cope, Charles J. Kilmain
  • Patent number: 10087838
    Abstract: A device and a method of temporarily increasing power of at least a first turbine engine is disclosed. The device includes a coolant liquid tank and a first injection circuit connected to the tank and leading to at least one injection nozzle suitable for being installed upstream from at least one compressor stage of the first turbine engine. This first injection circuit includes at least a first flow valve configured to open when a pressure exceeds a predetermined threshold compared with a downstream pressure from at least one compressor stage of a second turbine engine so as to enable the coolant liquid to flow towards the injection nozzle of the first injection circuit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: October 2, 2018
    Assignee: SAFRAN HELICOPTER ENGINES
    Inventors: Bertrand Moine, Sophie Humbert, Patrice Laborde, Laurent Minel, Remy Princivalle
  • Patent number: 10048690
    Abstract: A method of controlling two or more propulsion devices on a marine vessel includes receiving a vessel speed, determining that the vessel speed is below a first vessel speed threshold, receiving an operator thrust demand, and determining that the operator thrust demand is below a first demand threshold. At least one of the two or more propulsion devices is then turned off, and a thrust output of at least one remaining propulsion device is adjusted based on the operator thrust demand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2018
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: David J. Hilbert, Brian J. Fregonese, Christopher R. Jenks
  • Patent number: 9522740
    Abstract: A method of stopping an overspeeding engine (4) of a rotorcraft (1). A protection device stops the overspeeding engine (4) on condition of a comparison between a mechanical power requirement (19) of the rotorcraft (1) and a predefined power threshold (22). Stopping of the overspeeding engine (4) is authorized by the protection device (8) on condition that said mechanical power requirement (19) is identified as being less than or equal to the predefined power threshold (22). The mechanical power requirement (19) of the rotorcraft (1) is calculated on the basis of at least one current or anticipated value for the opposing torque (15) of a main rotor (5) of the rotorcraft.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 20, 2016
    Assignee: Airbus Helicopters
    Inventors: Benoit Domingo, Guillaume Dumur, Stephane Bailly
  • Patent number: 9309865
    Abstract: The invention relates to a device for using flow energy, in particular wind energy, comprising elements (2) that have incident-flow surfaces (1) and that are guided so as to circulate on a track at a distance to each other, wherein a rotational axis about which the elements (2) move is arranged perpendicularly to the flow direction, and comprising an apparatus (5) for transmitting the flow energy captured using the elements (2) to a generator (15). According to the invention, the apparatus (5) and the elements (2) are connected to each other in such a way that forces acting tangentially to the track (3) are transmitted and forces acting in other directions are not transmitted or are transmitted only in an attenuated manner.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2010
    Date of Patent: April 12, 2016
    Assignee: ITEA ECOTECH GMBH
    Inventors: Konstantin Kelaiditis, Nikolas Kelaiditis, Alexis Kelaiditis
  • Patent number: 8899921
    Abstract: A wind turbine blade is configured such that the lift force from the blade airfoil is always normal, or nearly normal, to the shaft torque. This condition maximizes energy conversion. This objective may be achieved by a) having the airfoil chord always aligned to the actual wind direction (subject only to small angle of attack variations), and b) slowing the turbine rotation rate so that no blade twist is needed. As a result, blade tip speed due to shaft rotation is less than the wind speed, and preferably much less. This low tip speed eliminates any hazard to birds. The lift force from the blade airfoil directly drives the torque on the shaft, so the control problem simplifies to adjusting the blade angle of attack to keep the lift constant across varying wind speeds.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Inventor: Earl McCune
  • Patent number: 8899920
    Abstract: A wind turbine yaw system is provided that includes a yaw gear, at least two pinion gears, and at least two drive units, each of which is associated to one of the pinion gears for driving that pinion gear. The yaw system also includes a control system with a controller for generating a drive unit control signal for each drive unit for controlling the respective drive unit according to a reference signal having a desired operational parameter value for the respective drive unit, so as to realize the desired operational parameter value in the respective drive unit. The control system includes a feedback loop for each drive unit feeding a drive unit feedback signal including at least the actual value of one operational parameter of the respective drive unit back to the controller. The controller generates the drive unit control signals based on the reference signal and the feedback signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Kurt Andersen
  • Patent number: 8866434
    Abstract: A control system for a turbine blade, including: an operational control element for generating and outputting an operational control signal, the operational control signal for non-emergency operation of a motor for controlling pitch of the turbine blade; an emergency control element, separate from and different from the operational control element, for generating and outputting an emergency control signal for emergency operation of the motor; and, an output stage element for receiving the operational and emergency control signals and for selecting one of the operational or emergency control signals, and with a means for receiving power for operation of the motor and with a means for providing the received power to the motor according to the selected operational or emergency control signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 31, 2008
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2014
    Assignee: Windurance LLC
    Inventors: Stephen P. Jones, Alan Duane Cleland, Paul John Rowan
  • Patent number: 8651811
    Abstract: A propeller control system includes a propeller control logic subsystem in conjunction with an engine control logic subsystem to provide an optimized transition from forward to reverse speed governing under all operating conditions. By creating a Propeller control Mode (PCM) map relative the blade angle and Power Lever Angle (PLA), the minimum blade angle allowed for forward speed governing and the maximum blade angle allowed for reverse speed governing is determined. By combining the actual propeller blade angle, the min and max angles for speed governing, and the PLA signal, the state of the propeller speed governor is determined.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 18, 2014
    Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand
    Inventor: David R. Danielson
  • Patent number: 8591187
    Abstract: In one aspect, a system for detecting loads transmitted through a blade root of a rotor blade of a wind turbine is disclosed. The system may include a root attachment assembly configured to couple the blade root to a hub of the wind turbine. The root attachment assembly may include a barrel nut mounted within a portion of the blade root and a root bolt extending from the barrel nut. In addition, the system may include a sensor associated with the root attachment assembly. The sensor may be configured to detect loads transmitted through at least one of the barrel nut and the root bolt.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Bharat Bagepalli, Nilesh Tralshawala, Aditi Koppikar, Sascha Schieke, Pekka Sipilae
  • Patent number: 8430632
    Abstract: A system and method for pitching a rotor blade in a wind turbine are disclosed. The method includes collecting in an individual pitch controller for the rotor blade a pitch offset angle relative to a collective pitch angle. The method further includes determining a synchronized pitch offset angle. The method further includes, after an emergency condition occurs, pitching the rotor blade towards the synchronized pitch offset angle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Christian Haag
  • Patent number: 8262352
    Abstract: A method of controlling blade pitch angle, including comparing demanded and measured blade pitch angle and calculating any difference therebetween, in a primary electrical control system, where there is a difference, applying torque to a blade pitch regulator to reduce the magnitude of the difference to zero, and in a secondary electrical control system, where the difference is greater than a pre-determined threshold, applying torque to a blade pitch regulator to reduce the magnitude of the difference to the threshold. Also an electrical system of blade pitch angle control for a set of blades including primary and secondary electrical control systems, means for comparing demanded and measured blade pitch angle and calculating any difference therebetween, a look-up function having the difference as its input and outputting a required torque, and a torque regulator to apply the required torque to the set of blades.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 8, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 11, 2012
    Assignee: Rolls-Royce PLC
    Inventors: David Michael Gainford, Jonathan Edmund Holt, Stephen Granville Garner
  • Patent number: 8240991
    Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for operating a wind turbine is disclosed. For operating the wind turbine a set of operational data points are sensed via a sensing module. The set of operational data points may include bending stress values. Based on the bending stress values, a load scenario indicator value may be computed. Further, based on the set of operational data points a loading threshold value may be obtained. At least one operating parameter of the wind turbine is changed if the load scenario indicator value exceeds the loading threshold.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Matthijs Leonardus Gerardus Boerlage, Leonardo Cesar Kammer
  • Patent number: 8221076
    Abstract: A method of controlling at least one wind turbine blade during the stopping process of the rotor in a wind turbine system is disclosed. The method optimizes the control velocity of the process in response to one or more feedback values of the system and/or one or more feedback values from the surroundings of the system by altering the angular pitch velocity from 10°/sec during the initial stage of the stopping process to 5°/sec at the final stage of the stopping process. A control system and a wind turbine as well as use hereof are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 21, 2010
    Date of Patent: July 17, 2012
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Ole Mølgaard Jeppesen, John Bengtson, Torben Møller Hansen
  • Patent number: 8215906
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling the aerodynamic load of a wind turbine blade by controlling the tip speed ratio (TSR) and/or blade pitch setting of the wind turbine blade so as to optimize power production. A wind turbine blade undergoes an aero-elastic response including deflection and twist that is a function of the blade loading. The blade loading is dependent on the wind speed, TSR, and pitch setting. The aero-elastic response requires a different TSR and/or pitch to be selected throughout the power curve in order to maintain the optimum power production and to improve energy capture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Kirk Gee Pierce, Brandon Shane Gerber, Stefan Herr
  • Patent number: 8202050
    Abstract: A wind turbine includes wireless system for receiving a control signal at a hub of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Paul O. Caffrey
  • Patent number: 8057174
    Abstract: A control device is provided which is adapted for controlling at least one operational parameter of a wind turbine including a machine nacelle and a rotor having at least one rotor blade. The control device includes an input adapted for inputting a signal which is indicative of environmental data of the wind turbine, an evaluation unit adapted for generating at least one control signal on the basis of currently acquired environmental data and on the basis of previously acquired environmental data, and an output adapted to output the control signal adapted for adjusting the at least one operational parameter of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 9, 2008
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2011
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Hartmut Scholte-Wassink
  • Publication number: 20110142620
    Abstract: A method for operating a wind turbine is provided. The wind turbine includes a rotor including at least one rotor blade and a pitch drive system coupled to the at least one rotor blade. The pitch drive system is adapted for pitching the rotor blade. The method includes: determining an actual value of a first variable indicative of an overspeed state of the wind turbine; determining an actual value of a second variable of the wind turbine correlated to the rate of change over time of the first variable; and, estimating an occurrence of an overspeed state of the wind turbine from at least the determined actual values of the first and second variables. The pitch drive system pitches the rotor blade for aerodynamically braking the rotor based on the result of the estimation.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2010
    Publication date: June 16, 2011
    Inventors: Friedrich LOH, Detlef MENKE, Christoph SCHULTEN, Gert TORBOHM
  • Patent number: 7931231
    Abstract: A flight control system and method which determines an expected power required data in response to a flight control command of the at least one model following control law and utilizes the expected power required data to perform at least one action to control an engine speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 6, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2011
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventors: Igor Cherepinsky, Joseph T. Driscoll, Stella Jang
  • Patent number: 7891944
    Abstract: A method of controlling at least one wind turbine blade during the stopping process of the rotor in a wind turbine system is disclosed. The method optimizes the control velocity of the process in response to one or more feedback values of the system and/or one or more feedback values from the surroundings of the system by altering the angular pitch velocity from 10°/sec during the initial stage of the stopping process to 5°/sec at the final stage of the stopping process. A control system and a wind turbine as well as use hereof are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: February 22, 2011
    Assignee: Vestas Wind Systems A/S
    Inventors: Ole Mølgaard Jeppesen, John Bengtson, Torben Møller Hansen
  • Publication number: 20110002783
    Abstract: A ceiling fan comprising a motor which rotates a plurality of blades provided in a horizontal direction, a shaft projecting from an upper portion of the motor, a pipe which is connected to an upper end of the shaft and which hangs from a ceiling surface, a connecting rod for connecting the pipe and the shaft with each other via through holes formed in the pipe and the shaft, respectively, a female screw which is threadedly engaged with the connecting rod, a displacement-correspondence tool which is displaced or which detects a displacement amount in correspondence with a relative positional displacement amount between the shaft and the pipe, and a power source control tool which controls energization to the motor in accordance with the displacement of the displacement-correspondence tool or the detected displacement amount.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 27, 2009
    Publication date: January 6, 2011
    Applicant: PANASONIC CORPORATION
    Inventors: Kiminobu Yamamoto, Tetsuji Kawazu, Hiroshi Yoshikawa, Kiyohiko Iwamoto
  • Patent number: 7811057
    Abstract: A method facilitates lubrication of components. The method includes coupling a blade to a pitch control mechanism such that a bearing is positioned between the blade and the pitch control mechanism. The method further includes coupling a control system to the pitch control mechanism and configuring the control system to control the blade pitch mechanism for controlling movement of the blade and rotate the blade from a first position to a second position when a predetermined amount of time has elapsed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 3, 2007
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2010
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventor: Ulrich Uphues
  • Publication number: 20090058086
    Abstract: A wind turbine system is provided with a wind turbine rotor, a pitch control mechanism, and an emergency power supply mechanism. The wind turbine rotor includes a blade having a variable pitch angle. The pitch control mechanism drives the blade to control the pitch angle. The emergency power supply mechanism generates electric power from rotation of the wind turbine rotor and feeds the electric power to the pitch control mechanism, in response to occurrence of an accidental drop of a system voltage of a power grid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 30, 2007
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Applicant: MITSUBISHI HEAVY INDUSTRIES, LTD.
    Inventors: Shinji Arinaga, Takatoshi Matsushita, Tsuyoshi Wakasa
  • Patent number: 7445431
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling the aerodynamic load of a wind turbine's blades individually in such a way that the dynamic aerodynamic loads on the turbine are reduced and power production is optimised. In general the present invention will improve the overall stability of the turbine leading to reduce fatigue loads, reduced extreme loads during operation and reduced risk of blade-tower interaction. In particular preferred embodiment of the invention, flow properties are measured locally on the different blades or in front of the blades and from these measurements the pitch angle settings are changed, in other ways changing the aerodynamic properties, for the blades through a control unit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 18, 2004
    Date of Patent: November 4, 2008
    Assignee: Forskningscenter Riso
    Inventors: Torben Juul Larsen, Helge Aagaard Madsen, Kenneth Thomsen
  • Patent number: 7147438
    Abstract: An electric turbine includes a fan with a plurality of blades each with a tip having a permanent magnet positioned in the tip. The fan is mounted for rotation about an axis with the blades extending radially outwardly from the axis of rotation and with the tips adjacent an outer extremity. An electromagnet and a magnetic sensor are each positioned to be magnetically aligned with the permanent magnet in the tip of each blade during one complete rotation of the fan. A controller supplies a pulse of current, in response to reception of a sensor signal from the magnetic sensor, to the electromagnet at a time when the electromagnet is magnetically aligned with the permanent magnet in one blade of the fan. A solar panel supplies power to the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 2004
    Date of Patent: December 12, 2006
    Inventor: Michael DePaoli
  • Patent number: 7118338
    Abstract: A method for controlling a wind turbine having twist bend coupled rotor blades on a rotor mechanically coupled to a generator includes determining a speed of a rotor blade tip of the wind turbine, measuring a current twist distribution and current blade loading, and adjusting a torque of a generator to change the speed of the rotor blade tip to thereby increase an energy capture power coefficient of the wind turbine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 30, 2004
    Date of Patent: October 10, 2006
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Emilian Mieczyslaw Moroz, David Lawrence LeMieux, Kirk Gee Pierce
  • Patent number: 7048506
    Abstract: An integrated propulsion and guidance system for a vehicle includes an engine coupled to an impeller via a driveshaft to produce propulsive force. The impeller includes a hub and a plurality of blades, including at least one control blade pivotably mounted to the hub. A control system provides a control signal to a magnetic actuator to adjust the blade pitch of the control blades as the blades rotate about the hub. The change in blade pitch produces a torque on the driveshaft that can be used to control the heading of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 18, 2003
    Date of Patent: May 23, 2006
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Robert J. Atmur, Bryan J. Sydnor
  • Patent number: 6883316
    Abstract: In the control system for a turbo-charged diesel aircraft engine, a target value for a fuel injection amount is determined by the stroke of a throttle lever. A boost compensator determines the maximum limit for the fuel injection amount in accordance with the boost pressure of the engine in order to suppress the formation of exhaust smoke. The actual fuel injection amount is set at the target value or the maximum limit whichever is smaller. An electronic control unit (ECU) calculates an increase rate of the stroke of the throttle lever based on an output of the stroke sensor disposed near the throttle lever. The ECU determines that the current operating condition of the aircraft requires a rapid increase in the engine output power when the increase rate of the stroke is larger than a predetermined value and increases the maximum limit determined by the boost compensator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Date of Patent: April 26, 2005
    Assignee: Toyota Uidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukio Otake
  • Publication number: 20040255583
    Abstract: In the control system for a turbo-charged diesel aircraft engine, a target value for a fuel injection amount is determined by the stroke of a throttle lever. A boost compensator determines the maximum limit for the fuel injection amount in accordance with the boost pressure of the engine in order to suppress the formation of exhaust smoke. The actual fuel injection amount is set at the target value or the maximum limit whichever is smaller. An electronic control unit (ECU) calculates an increase rate of the stroke of the throttle lever based on an output of the stroke sensor disposed near the throttle lever. The ECU determines that the current operating condition of the aircraft requires a rapid increase in the engine output power when the increase rate of the stroke is larger than a predetermined value and increases the maximum limit determined by the boost compensator.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 23, 2003
    Publication date: December 23, 2004
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukio Otake
  • Patent number: 6732521
    Abstract: In the control system for a turbo-charged diesel aircraft engine, the engine speed and the fuel injection amount are controlled by a single control lever in such a manner that the engine speed and the fuel injection amount maintain a predetermined fixed relationship in which the fuel injection amount is always smaller than a smoke limit amount. The control system further includes a boost compensator, that restricts the fuel injection amount to a value less than a boost pressure fuel limit determined by the boost pressure of the engine, and an altitude compensator that restricts the fuel injection amount to the value less than an altitude fuel limit.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 11, 2004
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukio Otake
  • Publication number: 20040031267
    Abstract: In the control system for a turbo-charged diesel aircraft engine, the engine speed and the fuel injection amount are controlled by a single control lever in such a manner that the engine speed and the fuel injection amount maintain a predetermined fixed relationship in which the fuel injection amount is always smaller than a smoke limit amount. The control system further includes a boost compensator, that restricts the fuel injection amount to a value less than a boost pressure fuel limit determined by the boost pressure of the engine, and an altitude compensator that restricts the fuel injection amount to the value less than an altitude fuel limit.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 16, 2002
    Publication date: February 19, 2004
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukio Otake
  • Patent number: 6652233
    Abstract: In the control system for a turbo-charged diesel aircraft engine, the engine speed and the fuel injection amount are controlled by a single control lever. However, when the control lever is operated to accelerate the engine, the fuel injection amount immediately increases to the value set by the control lever while the actual speed of the engine requires a relatively long time to reach the set speed. This may cause the actual fuel injection amount to become excessively larger than a value matching the engine speed and to produce exhaust smoke. In order to prevent this problem, the control system includes a delay control device which restricts the rate of increase in the fuel injection amount to a value less than a predetermined maximum value. By restricting the rate of increase in the fuel injection amount, the actual fuel injection amount is maintained at a value matching the actual engine speed during acceleration, and the generation of the exhaust smoke does not occur.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 14, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 25, 2003
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yukio Otake
  • Patent number: 6638017
    Abstract: A control device for use in unmanned model aircraft for a constant speed propeller is disclosed. The device comprises a propulsion engine coupled to the propeller. The rotational speed of the propulsion engine is regulated through an automatic change of the angle of attack of the propeller and a manual or automatic adjustment of the throttle. It also comprises an electric servomotor device, a power transmission and a controller. The servomotor device is positively coupled to the propeller via the power transmission. The controller controls the servomotor device. The variable angle of attack of the propeller is adjusted by the power transmission from the servomotor device and the propulsion engine, manually by an operator or automatically by the controller.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Inventor: Arild Olsen
  • Publication number: 20030133794
    Abstract: In the control system for a turbo-charged diesel aircraft engine, the engine speed and the fuel injection amount are controlled by a single control lever. However, when the control lever is operated to accelerate the engine, the fuel injection amount immediately increases to the value set by the control lever while the actual speed of the engine requires a relatively long time to reach the set speed. This may cause the actual fuel injection amount to become excessively larger than a value matching the engine speed and to produce exhaust smoke. In order to prevent this problem, the control system includes a delay control device which restricts the rate of increase in the fuel injection amount to a value less than a predetermined maximum value. By restricting the rate of increase in the fuel injection amount, the actual fuel injection amount is maintained at a value matching the actual engine speed during acceleration, and the generation of the exhaust smoke does not occur.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 14, 2002
    Publication date: July 17, 2003
    Applicant: TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventor: Yukio Otake
  • Publication number: 20030077173
    Abstract: An electrohydraulic device for varying the pitch of the blades of a machine rotor, the blades being mounted on a hub rotated by a drive shaft of the machine, and each blade having a root capable of pivoting about a longitudinal axis of the blade, the drive shaft itself being rotated relative to a stationary structure of the machine, the device comprising firstly a hydraulic actuator whose piston is secured to a control and synchronization ring in which off-center wrist pins are engaged, each fixed in register with one of said blade roots, and having a cylinder closed by a cover that includes a high pressure hydraulic pump feeding hydraulic fluid to both faces of said piston via channels integrated in said cylinder of the actuator, and secondly an electric motor controlled and powered by an electricity generator comprising an inductor secured to said stationary structure of the machine and an armature secured to said drive shaft of the machine.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Publication date: April 24, 2003
    Applicant: SNECMA MOTEURS
    Inventors: Michel Franchet, Daniel Kettler, Jean-Pierre Ruis
  • Publication number: 20030053912
    Abstract: A preferred rotary actuator includes an actuator assembly having a torque tube formed of a shape memory alloy (SMA), a superelastic NiTinol return spring associated with the torque tube and adapted to bias the torque tube toward an initial position, and a torque tube heating element, especially a thermoelectric device, for switching the SMA to cause rotation to an object connected to the actuator or to generate a torque upon that object. The torque tube (24) includes a proximal end (32) and a distal end (34). The return spring and torque tube are connected at their ends, with the torque tube being pretwisted while in a martensitic state relative to the spring. Activation of the heating element causes the torque tube to enter an austenitic state in which it returns to its previous untwisted configuration. Removal of heat allows the torque tube to return to a martensitic state, when the return spring retwists the torque tube. A unique locking assembly 22 is used with the preferred actuator assembly.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 10, 2002
    Publication date: March 20, 2003
    Applicant: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: A. Dean Jacot, Robert T. Ruggeri, Dan J. Clingman
  • Patent number: 6532430
    Abstract: A method is provided to determine an rpm profile for a turbine pump from pulse train data obtained from a sensor at the pump. The method eliminates ramp-up spikes from the pulse train by comparing the spike pulse count to the surrounding pulse counts and replacing data points responsible for abnormal pulse count increases/decreases between data points with interpolated values. The method similarly replaces data points that lie outside statistically acceptable pulse rate variations. A rough rpm plot is then generated, which must be smoothed to obtain the final rpm profile. Data points are infused between sensor data points to achieve an acquisition rate of approximately 1000 points per second. The infusion is accomplished by interpolating between sensor data points and equally spacing the infused data points along the interpolated curve. A smoothing function is then applied to the infused data set.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 12, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2003
    Assignee: The United States of America as Represented by the Secretary of the Navy
    Inventor: Dominik A. Kotlow
  • Patent number: 6379114
    Abstract: A control algorithm provides a method for selecting a pitch magnitude for a controllable pitch propeller. The pitch magnitude is selected as a function of the difference between a desired engine speed and an actual engine speed in addition to the actual pitch position of the controllable pitch propeller. The desired engine speed is selected as a function of the position of either a throttle control lever or the throttle plate of an internal combustion engine.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: Brunswick Corporation
    Inventors: Carl G. Schott, Blake R. Suhre, Matthew J. Manthey
  • Patent number: 6340289
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling an aircraft engine with a single, manually-operable lever includes structure and function for generating a pilot thrust command from the single lever. A processor is coupled to the single lever and (i) receives the generated pilot thrust command, (ii) receives a plurality of detected ambient air flight conditions, (iii) receives a plurality of detected engine performance parameters, (iv) determines first and second engine control commands based on the received pilot thrust command, the detected ambient air flight conditions, and the engine performance parameters, and (v) outputs first and second output signals respectively corresponding to the first and second engine control commands. Preferably, the engine control commands comprise propeller RPM and engine inlet manifold air pressure commands, and the detected ambient air flight conditions comprise air speed and altitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 5, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 22, 2002
    Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation
    Inventors: David W. Vos, Benjamin Russ
  • Patent number: 6171055
    Abstract: Method and apparatus for controlling an aircraft engine with a single, manually-operable lever includes structure and function for generating a pilot thrust command from the single lever. A processor is coupled to the single lever and (i) receives the generated pilot thrust command, (ii) receives a plurality of detected ambient air flight conditions, (iii) receives a plurality of detected engine performance parameters, (iv) determines first and second engine control commands based on the received pilot thrust command, the detected ambient air flight conditions, and the engine performance parameters, and (v) outputs first and second output signals respectively corresponding to the first and second engine control commands. Preferably, the engine control commands comprise propeller RPM and engine inlet manifold air pressure commands, and the detected ambient air flight conditions comprise air speed and altitude.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 3, 1998
    Date of Patent: January 9, 2001
    Assignee: Aurora Flight Sciences Corporation
    Inventors: David W. Vos, Benjamin Russ
  • Patent number: 6004098
    Abstract: An engine plant for aircraft comprising a multicylinder internal combustion engine (1) whose crankshaft drives an adjustable pitch propeller (5), mechanisms for adjusting the engine speed and a common power stick (4) that controls the operation of the engine and of the adjustment mechanisms, characterized in that said engine is a compression ignition engine (1) that cooperates with an electronic control system (3) controlling the quantity of the fuel injected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 3, 1997
    Date of Patent: December 21, 1999
    Assignee: Renault Sport
    Inventors: Marc Chevallier, Jean-Philippe Mercier
  • Patent number: 5997250
    Abstract: A propeller pitch control apparatus for an aircraft in which the vector sum of the aircraft forward speed and the propeller rotational tip speed is a selected fraction of the speed of sound, the fraction based on percent power and altitude, to maximize efficiency and minimize noise.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: December 7, 1999
    Assignee: Catercopters, LLC
    Inventors: Jay Carter, Jr., Adrian P. K. Nye
  • Patent number: 5810560
    Abstract: A control system for an aircraft that controls the set speed of the propeller governor and the degree of opening of the throttle valve using a single control lever. The speed setting mechanism of the propeller governor is directly connected to the power lever by a push and pull cable, and the set speed of the propeller governor changes in proportion to the stroke of the power lever. Therefore, the propeller speed changes in proportion to the stroke of the power lever. On the other hand, the throttle valve is connected to the power lever by a nonlinear cam and a push and pull cable. Therefore, the degree of opening of the throttle valve does not change in proportion to the stroke of the power lever (i.e., the change in the degree of opening of the throttle valve has a nonlinear characteristic), and the engine output power changes in the nonlinear manner with respect to the change in the propeller speed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 24, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Shigetaka Tanaka
  • Patent number: 5779446
    Abstract: An air driven turbine having variable pitched blades is provided that includes a pitch change mechanism and associated control circuits for automatically adjusting the pitch of the blades during either rotating or non-rotating operational modes of the air driven turbine. The pitch control mechanism includes a resettable overspeed protection device which is directly actuated by an overspeed condition of the turbine and operates independently from the pitch change mechanism to move the blades to a failsafe, feathered, or coarse pitch, low speed position. The pitch control mechanism utilizes a linear actuator in the form of an acme screw drive. The air driven turbine includes a ball ramp thrust bearing for attaching the blades to a hub of the turbine in such a manner that during rotation of the turbine actuation loads on the pitch change mechanism are reduced.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 14, 1998
    Assignee: Sundstrand Corporation
    Inventors: Jon B. Althof, Shan-Chin Tsai, Teddy L. Jones
  • Patent number: 5413461
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a propulsion engine output in a vessel, based on the net axial force on a propeller shaft in the vessel. The apparatus includes a regulating loop with a computer which continuously controls the delivery of fuel to the vessel's engine, and optionally controls the attack angle of the vessel's propeller blades. Control of the fuel delivery is performed in accordance with predetermined control algorithms, and optionally, by operator-set parameter values and maneuvering operations. The apparatus further includes at least one force sensor mounted to a bearing which supports the vessel's propeller shaft. The force sensor, which is preferably mounted to a thrust bearing, detects a net axial force on the propeller shaft. The net axial force detected is then used as a parameter in the control algorithms and therefore as a factor in controlling the delivery of fuel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 12, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 9, 1995
    Inventor: Oddvard Johnsen